I'm afraid I tend to be honest in my comments, and some people find this offensive - I reckon a bloke who uses so much shit in such a confined space won't mind (too much?).
I will (in a future podcast) describe poetry as an onion, but for now I might compare it with rooms. For some reason, my mind's eye goes to derelict, roofless rooms, where different poets with different views sit, yet can see into one another's space.
From my Plathian-Heaney Peake and Ferlinghettied fry-up, I tried Larkin but his subject matter and language (the mucky sort) put me off. I prefer Bolan's fantastical meanderings. Not saying it can't be used, but not casually for my taste (and I get the irony of the above). I do however feel the mood here is lighter than Larkin - perhaps percolated poetry is a bit like race-mix; some of us caucasians round the British Isles are Anglo-Scot, Anglo-Irish and we can tell. And empathise.
I like the humour and perhaps in a broader selection I might not have found similarities that let each other down. The views of fish mentality, reflections on a literary parent's den, are perhaps examples of this literary filtering. I'm almost sorry to be such a Larkin-basher. And I think I get the bantering concept of one shit avoiding another shit - which puts this stuff out of my zone of appreciation. But just as surely, the Scots/Larkin feel goes a long way with others.
Bash away, Alex. Bash away. Oddly enough I'm Iess of a Larkin fan than you'd imagine. What I am is a 'Mr Bleaney' fan. To this day the poem blows me away. It, genuinely, was a defining moment and all my life I wanted to write that poem, which I now have, two versions in fact (in the one Mike passed on the landlady's daughter shows a prospective boarder around Herr Larkin's room). I've read all Larkin's poetry and the vast majority does little for me. Particularly the early Hardyesque stuff. But what I love about him is the fact he calls a spade a spade. That was what I took away from him and that's what permeates all my poetry. Of 1700+ poems a dozen directly reference Larkin. I've written almost as many poems about my dead cockateil. To be honest I'm a far bigger fan of Samuel Beckett.
Bolan was part of my childhood but I was never really interested in understanding his lyrics, a general failing of mine. (I just recently read the lyrics to 'Can the Can' (Suzi Quatro) and realised I had no idea what she was singing; the words never sunk in.) What little Heaney I've read seemed pretty plain-speakery but he was never really on my radar. Neither was Peake. Plath lost me as did most of the Beats although the opening to 'Howl' is pure rock and roll.
As for my heritage? Born in Glasgow to Lancashire parents, lived all my life in Scotland but talk with an English accent. Go figure. Oh, and as far as mucky language goes, I never swear in real life—it's just not me—but a few cusswords slip into my writing if it's appropriate to the characers.
Amusing, informative and heart warming reply. I never thought of Plath as beat😹. Maybe that’s what subliminally put me onto them, though I liked the Doors. I think rather than Heaney I have read more Norman Mac Craig. Nice chatting👍😺
I'm afraid I tend to be honest in my comments, and some people find this offensive - I reckon a bloke who uses so much shit in such a confined space won't mind (too much?).
I will (in a future podcast) describe poetry as an onion, but for now I might compare it with rooms. For some reason, my mind's eye goes to derelict, roofless rooms, where different poets with different views sit, yet can see into one another's space.
From my Plathian-Heaney Peake and Ferlinghettied fry-up, I tried Larkin but his subject matter and language (the mucky sort) put me off. I prefer Bolan's fantastical meanderings. Not saying it can't be used, but not casually for my taste (and I get the irony of the above). I do however feel the mood here is lighter than Larkin - perhaps percolated poetry is a bit like race-mix; some of us caucasians round the British Isles are Anglo-Scot, Anglo-Irish and we can tell. And empathise.
I like the humour and perhaps in a broader selection I might not have found similarities that let each other down. The views of fish mentality, reflections on a literary parent's den, are perhaps examples of this literary filtering. I'm almost sorry to be such a Larkin-basher. And I think I get the bantering concept of one shit avoiding another shit - which puts this stuff out of my zone of appreciation. But just as surely, the Scots/Larkin feel goes a long way with others.
Have at me as you will sir, but well written!:)
Bash away, Alex. Bash away. Oddly enough I'm Iess of a Larkin fan than you'd imagine. What I am is a 'Mr Bleaney' fan. To this day the poem blows me away. It, genuinely, was a defining moment and all my life I wanted to write that poem, which I now have, two versions in fact (in the one Mike passed on the landlady's daughter shows a prospective boarder around Herr Larkin's room). I've read all Larkin's poetry and the vast majority does little for me. Particularly the early Hardyesque stuff. But what I love about him is the fact he calls a spade a spade. That was what I took away from him and that's what permeates all my poetry. Of 1700+ poems a dozen directly reference Larkin. I've written almost as many poems about my dead cockateil. To be honest I'm a far bigger fan of Samuel Beckett.
Bolan was part of my childhood but I was never really interested in understanding his lyrics, a general failing of mine. (I just recently read the lyrics to 'Can the Can' (Suzi Quatro) and realised I had no idea what she was singing; the words never sunk in.) What little Heaney I've read seemed pretty plain-speakery but he was never really on my radar. Neither was Peake. Plath lost me as did most of the Beats although the opening to 'Howl' is pure rock and roll.
As for my heritage? Born in Glasgow to Lancashire parents, lived all my life in Scotland but talk with an English accent. Go figure. Oh, and as far as mucky language goes, I never swear in real life—it's just not me—but a few cusswords slip into my writing if it's appropriate to the characers.
Amusing, informative and heart warming reply. I never thought of Plath as beat😹. Maybe that’s what subliminally put me onto them, though I liked the Doors. I think rather than Heaney I have read more Norman Mac Craig. Nice chatting👍😺